Where I Belong
by AliE96
Summary: In order to escape an arranged marriage, a princess from another world flees her home planet and arrives on Earth where she meets the Ninja Turtles. While they are truly fascinating, only one of them has managed to catch her attention and her heart. LeoXOC Rated T just to be safe. 2003 verse
1. Chapter 1

**Here it is! The first re-written chapter of my story Where I Belong :) I changed a few things and added a few new things. I don't know when the next chapter will be up because I have a few other stories on here and Wattpad to work on as well. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT or any of its characters **

**Enjoy :)**

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Chapter One:

Character info:

Name- Serena Callister

Age- 18 ½

Appearance- Fair skin, long curly raven black hair, emerald green eyes, deep red colored lips and a green dragon tattoo on her right shoulder blade going down her back.

Race- Torrestanian

Personality- Kind, protective, understanding, stubborn, determined, brave, honorable, helpful, smart and sweet.

Powers/Abilities- Telepathic (able to read minds and communicate through minds) and a highly skilled warrior.

Likes- Riding, reading, dancing, singing, drawing, helping others and being herself.

Dislikes- Being forced into things she doesn't like or wants to do, her suitors, staying still, those who are rude, selfish and cruel.

Voice Actress: Gal Gadot- Diana Prince (Wonderwoman 2017)

Background- Serena is the princess of the planet Torrestan and is next in line for the throne. Her mother Jessica and her father Zander are the current rulers of Torrestan. Serena is to be married by a wealthy prince by her next birthday if she is ever to ascend to the throne. However, Serena wants to marry out of love, not obligation and she wants to be free to live her life the way she wants to. Her grandfather, Xavier understands her views and always encourages her to do what she believes is right. Her father loves her very much and wants her to be happy, but the future of the kingdom comes first before anything else. Her mother just wants what's best for her and has her best interests at heart, but like Zander she believes that the kingdoms future and their people come first as well. Serena knows their kingdom and their people come first, but she believes that there is more for her beyond the stars and hopes someday soon she'll be able to know just what it is. She also believes that the Gods have something much bigger planned for then ascending the throne.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's chapter two! I got this done a lot faster than I thought I would. Not sure when the next one will be up, but the boys will be showing up in the next one. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT or any of its characters**

**Enjoy :)**

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Chapter Two: Welcome to New York

Location: Torrestan, Approximately 2.3 million light-years from the Milky Way

"Serena? Its time for your royal fitting, my child"

Serena sat on her large polished marble balcony that over-looked the kingdom from her room. She had a blank expression on her face as she held her knees to her chest and looked out towards the kingdom. She was wearing a white knee-length one-shoulder silk dress with a gold sash wrapped just under her breasts and gold sandals that almost reach her knees.

"Serena?" her grandfather Xavier asked as he walked into the large room.

She said nothing as a gentle breeze blew by causing a few strands of her raven black hair to gently sway in the air as they escaped from her long side braid. Her emerald green eyes just looked down below at the guards performing their evening drills.

Xavier walked over to the balcony and stood next to his granddaughter with a concerned look on his face "Serena? Is there something bothering you, my child?"

She sighed before looking over at her grandfather with a saddened look on her face "I think you know the answer to that, grandfather"

Her grandfather nodded his head in understanding "Your betrothal to Prince Raj? I should've known. I wish you didn't have to do this either, Serena but it's like your parents said: in order for you to ascend the throne, you must be..."

"Be married to a prince by my next birthday" Serena finished for him as she swung herself around and stepped off the balcony into her room "I'm well aware of that, grandfather, but it's wrong" she walked past her grandfather and sat on her king-sized bed with light pink satin and silk blankets "If I ever do marry..." she pulled a white rose from a vase that was sitting on the dresser next to her bed and held it in front of her as she ran her fingers along its soft petals "I want it to be for love..."

Xavier sighed and smiled softly at his granddaughter "Serena…" he walked over and sat next to her on the bed "You know as well as I do that the real reason why your parents want you to marry so soon is because they're not going to be around forever and they just want to make sure that there will be someone who will be there for you"

Serena sighed as she looked down at the flower "I know, grandfather… but why Prince Raj? Everyone on Torrestan knows that he's nothing but a spoiled, selfish rich brat that cares for nothing and no one but himself. When mother and father had set up a date for the two of us to get to know each other, all he talked about was himself and never once asked about me or my interests. He even said that he believes women shouldn't speak unless they are spoken to and that they are only good for two things: sex and bearing children. I want nothing to do with that glorified pig"

"Do your parents know about this?" Xavier asked with some anger in his voice.

"I tried to, but they think I should give him a chance and get to know him better" Serena answered placing the rose back in the vase "I don't want to know him and I want nothing to do with him"

Her grandfather sighed as he pinched the bridge between his nose. How could his own son and daughter-in-law believe that this perverted pig is the right match for Serena?

"I just wish I could get them to understand," Serena said to herself with her arms crossed over her chest.

That caught Xavier's attention as he looked back over to her "Understand what, Serena?"

"Forget it, it's...nothing" Serena sighed as she looked at the spotless marble floor.

"Serena, you can tell me anything. No matter what it is" Xavier said placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

She looked up at her grandfather before sighing in defeat as she stood up and walked towards the balcony "It's just… for some time now I've been feeling as though…" she rested herself on the balcony as she looked out towards the pink and purple sky "That I don't really belong here and that… there's something waiting for me beyond the stars"

Xavier stood next to his granddaughter with a look of genuine curiosity as he listened to her intently.

"I know, it's ridiculous," Serena said as she rubbed her upper arms from the evening chill in the air.

"No, it isn't, Serena," her grandfather said softly "You're in doubt about where you really belong and want something more than palace life"

Serena looked down below as she let what her grandfather said sink in "What should I do, grandfather?"

He sighed with a small smile on his face as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder "I've always encouraged you to follow your heart and you've always done what you believed was right. I want you to do that now, do what you believe is right, my child" he patted her shoulder before he walked off and exited the room, leaving Serena with her thoughts.

She watched as her grandfather left and turned back to face the beautifully colored sky with a thoughtful expression on her face. She looked back down towards the ground as another breeze blew by causing her hair to dance in the wind.

Taking a deep breath, Serena looked back up at the sky with determination as she knew what she had to do. What she wanted and needed to do.

Later that night…

As night fell on Torrestan, the kingdom was silent and not much can be heard aside from the clopping of the guardsman's horses as they patrolled the palace.

Serena was quietly walking down the halls towards her parents' room. She has dawned a white short sleeve top with a gold bejeweled neckline, a pair of short white shorts, brown fringe ankle sandals and, gold satin hooded cloak. Her hair was now free from its braid going down her as the soft curls framed her face perfectly. A satchel is strapped over her shoulder that held some of her belongings. In her hands, she held a small message tied with a ribbon as she finally made it to her parents' room.

She opened the door and it groaned in protest as she walked inside and closed it slightly behind her. She walked quietly over to her parents' bed as they slept peacefully and gently placed the message on the small dresser next to their bed.

"I'm sorry" Serena whispered as she looked at her parents' one more time before she quickly and quietly made her way out of the room.

She was able to quietly sneak down to the stable area where they kept the palace horses, right now most of them were out on patrol with the guards. She headed for the far end of the stable where she came to a large golden carved horse stall that had the name 'Hisan' carved onto the door.

"Hey, boy" Serena whispered as she stood in front of the stall. Soon, a large powerful black stallion came into view as he let out a low nicker at the sight of her.

She unlocked the stall door before grabbing Hisan's black and embroidered bridle and gently guided him out of the stall. Serena began to saddle him up with a satin saddle blanket with gold fringe and a black saddle made out of the finest pure leather on Torrestan.

"I knew you would be here, Serena"

Serena jumped in surprise when she heard someone speak and saw her grandfather standing a few feet away from her "I'm to guess you made your decision?"

Serena sighed as she looked away for a minute before looking back at her grandfather "Yes. I'm sorry, grandfather… but I have to do this. I can't stay here and have my life lived for me and I need to find my own path if I'm ever to know what's waiting for me beyond here"

Xavier nodded his head as he smiled slightly "I know, Serena. You've always been so determined and once you set your mind on something, there's no stopping you. I just want you to promise me that no matter where you go, that you'll be careful and you'll be smart with the choices you make"

"I promise," Serena said as she hugged her grandfather tightly "I love you grandfather and I'll miss you"

"I'll miss you too, my child" Xavier said returning the hug before he released his granddaughter "I have something for you" He held out a silver pendant with circular sapphire in the middle.

"It's beautiful, grandfather," Serena said as he placed it on her "Thank you"

"You're welcome, my child" he cupped her chin gently "But it's more than a beautiful necklace. It's a portable teleporter" he pressed the sapphire and it slid open "Just type in the coordinates of where you want to go and…" he typed in a series of coordinates and the sapphire slid back into place "Just press the sapphire again and it'll take you there"

"What did you type in, grandfather?" Serena asked him, curiously.

"Somewhere I know you'll be safe and where a good friend of mine will be there to look after you" Xavier answered her "Hamato Splinter is his name"

"The one you met at the Battle Nexus years ago?" Serena asked, her eyes lighting up.

Xavier nodded his head "Yes, he'll take good care of you even though I know you're capable of taking care of yourself. I just want you to be safe"

Serena smiled at her grandfather before hugging him again "Thank you, grandfather. I love you so much"

"I love you, too," Xavier said with a sad smile on his face before they parted.

Serena took a step back and grabbed the reins from Hisan's bridle before smiling at her grandfather one last time. He returned the smile before nodding his head to her as she pressed the sapphire on the pendant.

The sapphire then began to spin as it glowed brightly before engulfing Serena and Hisan in bright white light. The light then disappeared, along with Serena and Hisan, leaving the spot where they were standing empty.

"Be careful my child…" Xavier said to himself with a sigh.

Manhattan, New York, Earth…

The bright white light then reappeared in the middle of a small area that is obscured by many trees and thick bushes. Serena looked around at her new surroundings, but couldn't really tell where she was so she walked out of the space while pulling Hisan along with her.

She then came to a clearing and could see tall skyscrapers with shinning lights over every color. Her eyes widened as she looked around and saw a large neon sign that said 'New York' in bright colors.

"This is the place…" Serena said happily as she hugged Hisan "We made it, boy"

**Let me hear your thoughts :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's chapter three! Sorry this took so long to put up, I've been working on other stories at the same time. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT or any of its characters**

**Enjoy :)**

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Chapter Three: The Big City

Serena was in awe at the sight of the city. The large skyscrapers reminded her of the palace back home, except the palace was made from polished marble while the skyscrapers were made of steel and concrete. She was riding atop Hisan as she took in the sight of the city, not paying attention to the odd looks and whispers of the people she passed by.

There were also young men who she passed by that would look at her with hunger and desire, but she paid them no mind. She had come here to get away from a perverted pig and many other reasons, she didn't need any problems here as well.

That's when Hisan stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and whinnied loudly "What is it, Hisan?" he whinnied again and craned his head to the right as Serena turned to see where he was looking.

She smiled when she saw that there was a fruit stand that held a variety of apples, bananas, oranges, and pears "Oh, I see. You're hungry, aren't you, big fella?" Serena asked as she patted the side of his neck and he whinnied happily in response "Ok, I'll get you something" Serena then climbed off of Hisan and tied his reins to a nearby fire hydrant before walking over to the stand.

"Excuse me?" She asked the elderly vendor "How much for a bag of apples?"

"Ten bucks, miss" the man answered her as she reached into her satchel.

Serena pulled out a small wallet with a strange-looking circular object attached to it. She opened it and pulled out a twenty-dollar bill as the man filled a bag of apples for her.

"Here you are, sir" she handed him the money while he handed her the apples "Thank you"

"You're welcome, miss," the man said as Serena walked away "Wait, miss! Don't you want your change back?"

"No, you can keep it," Serena told him with a smile.

"Oh, well… thanks, miss. That's awful nice of ya" of the man said with a genuine smile.

"You're very welcome" Serena replied to him as she stood next to Hisan as he eagerly began nipping at the bag of apples.

"Easy there, boy" Serena giggled as she opened the bag and pulled out a large red apple and held it out to Hisan who gratefully took the apple in his mouth and ate it whole. She smiled and patted the side of his neck when she felt someone pulling on her cloak.

"Excuse me, miss?" A young voice asked as Serena looked behind her to see a young girl around seven or eight years old wearing worn-out dirty clothes tugging on her cloak and looking up at her with sad brown eyes "Could you please spare an apple?"

"Of course" Serena answered as she pulled an apple out of the bag "Poor thing, you must be so hungry"

"It's not for me," the little girl said as Serena handed her the apple "It's for my mommy, she's really sick"

Serena watched with a saddened expression as the little girl headed into an ally and stopped near a dumpster where an older woman laid curled up on the ground wrapped in a worn-out blanket and shaking while coughing.

That's when Serena followed her into the ally and knelt in front of her mother who looked to be only a few years older than herself "What's your name, sweetheart?" Serena asked the little girl.

"Annie" the little girl answered.

"What's wrong with your mother, Annie?" Serena asked her.

"Her tummy hurts a lot, she aches all over, she's coughing and sneezing a lot and she's really hot," Annie told her as Serena looked over at the woman. She could see beads of sweat dripping down her forehead and she could hear her teeth chattering from being cold.

"Hm…" Serena thought for a minute trying to figure out what was ailing this woman. Back on Torrestan, Serena had one of the best and most expensive educations. She learned about different illnesses and how to treat them while the medicine has different names than the ones here on Earth, she would know enough which ones are the right ones.

"Sounds like it might be the flu" Serena concluded. She reached into her bag and pulled a small packet of colorful pills. On her homeworld, scientists and doctors have developed a large variety of medicine that could cure and/or treat any sickness or disease. Along with several varieties of cancer that can be treated or cured with their medicine, her people are much more evolved and advanced than humans on Earth. The pills she carried with her are the very same kind of medicine and she's only ever supposed to use for emergencies. Well, this qualifies as an emergency to her.

Serena opened the packet and pulled out two round red and blue pills before handing them to Annie " Take these, Annie. They will help your mother, make sure she takes these"

"Thank you, miss" Annie smiled happily at Serena who returned the smile.

"You are very welcome, Annie," Serena said "Before I go, I need you to promise me something"

"Anything," Annie said with a smile.

"Promise me that you'll take good care of your mother," Serena told her "And promise me that you'll use this to get both you and your mother some proper clothes along with some food and water" she pulled out her wallet and took out eight hundred dollar bills and handed it to Annie.

Annie gasped in amazement as she gratefully took the money from Serena "Thank you so much, miss!" she hugged Serena tightly and she gladly returned the hug.

"You're welcome, sweetheart" Serena said as Annie released her from the hug "You and your mother take care of yourselves now"

"We will, thank you again, Miss," Annie said as Serena stood up.

Serena smiled at Annie one last time before heading out of the ally "Mommy! Look how much the lady gave us! She's so nice!" Annie showed her mother everything Serena gave them and she couldn't stop the smile that formed over her face. Serena has always loved to help others, sometimes when she would go into the market in the village on her homeworld with her grandfather, she would help those in need by giving them food or medicine. She would do the same thing here, do her best to help the people of this city however she can.

She untied Hisan's reins from the fire-hydrant before climbing back on top of him "Let's go, boy" she clicked her tongue a few times and Hisan continued to walk down the sidewalk.

_On the rooftops…_

"Did you see what that girl did, bros?" Mikey said as he and his brother had watched the entire scene take place "She helped out that woman and her kid"

"That was very kind and considerate of her," Donnie nodded in agreement.

"She's definitely not from around 'ere then" Raph spoke with his arms crossed "Most people in the city would just walk right by 'em without givin' a second glance"

"You have a point there, Raph," Leo said as he stood next to his red-banded brother, "I think we should keep an eye on her"

"Why's that, fearless?" Raph asked his older brother.

"Well, like you said Raph, she's not from around here and she could easily be taken advantage of or get in some serious trouble with the wrong people"

"That's a good idea, Leo," Donnie said, "Come on guys, we'll keep an eye on her for a while before heading back home." The four turtle brothers then began to watch Serena from the rooftops as she continued to make her way down the busy street with Hisan.

_One hour later…_

It's been over an hour since Serena has arrived on Earth and has been wandering around the city taking in the sights and also trying to locate her grandfather's friend, Hamato Splinter, but has had no luck.

Serena and Hisan had entered Central park and stopped in front of the pond. Serena sighed as she climbed off of Hisan, who was taking a drink of water from the pond.

"I don't know, Hisan" Serena said as she pulled the hood from her cloak down "We've been looking for over an hour and we still haven't found grandfather's friend. Gods, I don't even know what he looks like, how am I supposed to find him?" Serena said as she gently patted Hisan's neck.

"Well, I know what we found" a voice from behind Serena had startled her as she turned around to see four men in their early twenties sporting the Purple Dragons tattoo "A pretty little lady who's lost her way"

Serena eyed the men suspiciously, they had several piercings along with ripped clothing. She could smell the distinct scent of alcohol and cigarette smoke on them, she could tell that they are not people to be trusted.

"Are you lost sweet cheeks?" the one with spiky red hair asked with a chuckle as he approached her "Maybe we can help ya"

"No thank you" Serena narrowed her eyes at him "I don't associate with Neanderthals"

"Oh! She got a smart mouth on her boys" the one in front of her laughed while the others joined in "I like that in a woman" he inched closer towards her as Serena took a step back.

Feeling someone behind him, Hisan lifted his back leg up and kicked the thug square in his abdomen causing him to double over and groan as he held his stomach.

"Good boy, Hisan" Serena praised patting the side of his neck.

"You think you're really funny, bitch?" he groaned as he stood up "We'll see how funny ya are after we're done with ya"

Serena removed her cloak and let it drop to the ground as she took a stance, planting her feet firmly on the ground while holding her hands up in front of her defensively.

"Not only do we get a prize, but a challenge, too" the red-head spoke with a dark chuckle.

Serena narrowed her eyes at him as he took a step towards her. He threw a punch at her, but Serena dodged it easily while stepping to the side and grabbing his arm before tossing him into the pond. The sudden splash startled Hisan who whinnied loudly as he lifted his head up and took a step back from the pond.

The other three Purple Dragons stood there in shock seeing Serena easily took out Spike. Two-Tonne then growled and charged towards her but she leapt out of the way as he skidded to a stop. She easily lands on his shoulder before jumping down onto the ground behind him and getting to her feet as she did a roundhouse kick to his back, sending him into the pond as well.

Sunny and Mohawk stood there in disbelief before they both charged towards her. Mohawk came at her first, but ducked and rolled out of the way before doing a front snap kick to his chest as he hit the ground. Sunny then came at her with a pipe in his hand and swung it at Serena's head, but she dodged it easily. He took a few more swings at her, but she continued to dodge his attacks. Serena then did a sweep of her leg and knocked him to the ground.

Serena stood proudly over her would-be assailants, panting but had a satisfied smile on her face. This was the first time she was ever able to use fighting outside of sparring with her grandfather and three of her actual real friends.

Hisan then walked over to her and placed his head on her shoulder whinnied quietly "Not bad, huh, big fella?" Serena asked as she gently petted the side of Hisan's face.

Unknown to her four shadows had watched the entire fight from the bushes and they were impressed with what they saw.

"Wow, she's good" Donnie said with a smile on his face "I like her"

"Same" Raph agreed with a smirk on her face "That chick can kick ass"

"Not only that, but she's pretty cute" Mikey said with a smile plastered on his face "Don't cha think, Leo? Leo?" Mikey looked over at his older brother to see him staring intensely at Serena.

Leo was impressed with her skills, she's clearly a skilled fighter, but he had agreed with his little brother about her appearance. She was beautiful, the moonlight shining on her gave her an enchanting look, creating a halo around her. Like an angel.

"Yeah… she is" Leo answered, still staring at her until the sound of groaning caught his attention and he saw that Mohawk had gotten along with Spike and Two Tonne who climbed out of the pond.

"You little bitch!" Spike yelled, causing Serena to turn around, only to get a baseball bat to the face, knocking her down and out. Hisan whinnied loudly and reared up at the Purple Dragons, wanting to protect his companion.

"Aw, shut it you, flea bag!" Spike shouted as he whacked Hisan with his baseball bat in the side, causing Hisan to stumble back as the thugs stood over Serena's unconscious form.

"Come on, guys" Leo said pulling out his Katanas "We gotta help her"

His brothers nodded in agreement as they pulled their weapons out and jumped out from the bushes, catching the attention of the Purple Dragons.

"Didn't ya mama ever tell ya how to treat a lady, punks?" Raph asked, gripping his sais tightly.

"It's those freaks again!" Mohawk shouted "Let's get outta here!"

The street thugs ran off like cowards as the turtles laughed "That's right! Ya better run!"

The sound of a low nickering caused Leo to turn around to see Hisan standing over Serena and rubbing his nose against her face, trying to wake her up. Leo then put his Katanas away, walked over to Serena and knelt next to her, but Hisan took a step towards him and whinnied defensively at him while snorting.

"Easy, big fella" Leo said softly putting his hand up as his brothers stood him "It's ok, we're not going to hurt her. We just wanna help"

Hisan stood his ground, staring intensely at the turtle, but the calmness and softness of his voice reassured Hisan that they meant no harm to him or Serena. He calmed down and took a step back as he knickered quietly.

Leo smiled as he looked down at Serena "Donnie?" Leo called to his young brother who was already at his brother's side. He knelt down next to Leo and pressed his hand to the back of her head before pulling back when he felt something warm and wet touch his fingers.

"She's bleeding" Donnie said looking at the blood coating his fingers "I left my med-kit at the lair"

"Then that's where we're bringing her" Leo said as he gently picked Serena up bridal style and stood up.

"Are you sure Leo?" Mikey asked his older brother "What about Master Splinter? He's not gonna like this"

"I'll handle Master Splinter, Mikey" Leo said turning to his brothers "Right now, let's get to the lair before we're spotted"

"Luckily, I brought the remote for the Battle Shell," Donnie said as he pulled the small remote out of his belt and pressed the start button.

A few minutes later, the large metal truck pulled up in front of them and the back doors opened. Leo climbed inside with Serena in his arms as Raph and Mikey were trying to get Hisan inside. Hisan was nervous at the sight of the large vehicle, even back on Torrestan he's never liked loud or large machinery. They always scared him and made him nervous, but he reluctantly allowed Raph and Mikey to guide him inside the truck, knowing that Serena was in there. Donnie then climbed into the driver's seat and hit the gas.

As Leo laid Serena gently on the ground he couldn't help but stare at her. She was even more beautiful up close, she was practically sparkling in his opinion. He then brushed a strand of her raven black hair out of her face and gently tucked it behind her ear.

_'Who is she? And where did she come from?_' Leo thought to himself.

**Let me hear your thoughts :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's chapter four! So sorry this took so long to put up, I've been going through some things lately and haven't really had the urge to write. Not sure when the next chapter will be.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT or any of its characters**

**Enjoy :)**

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Chapter Four: New Friends

_In the Lair…_

Serena was lying on the couch with a bandage around her head as she began to stir. She groaned as her eyes fluttered open and she placed a hand on her head where she felt the bandages.

"What…?" Serena asked, dazed and confused as she then felt a weight on her stomach. She looked down on herself and was surprised to see an orange cat lying on her stomach looking at her.

"Oh… hello there" Serena said softly as she brought her hand down from her head and began to gently pet the cat. She giggled when she heard him purring as he rubbed his head into her hand "Well, aren't you an adorable little thing?"

"He is, huh?" A voice asked, startling Serena as she looked up and her eyes widened when she saw Mikey standing over her on the other side of the couch "Please, don't freak out dudette. We're not gonna hurt you"

"Um… 'we'?" Serena asked in confusion as Mikey pointed in front of her and she was surprised to see three other turtles sitting in front of her.

Serena looked around nervously "What happened? Where am I?" she asked looking back at the turtles.

"You were attacked in the park by some Purple Dragons" Donnie answered her as he stood up "You got hurt so we brought you back here to our home so I could take care of your wound"

Serena nodded in understanding "I remember now, I was fighting them off when one of them surprised me from behind" she then sat up causing Klunk to jump off her and onto the floor "Thank you for your help, I greatly appreciate it"

"You're very welcome, Miss…" Leo said wanting to know her name.

"Oh, where are my manners" she laughed to herself "My name is Serena and you are?"

"I'm Leonardo and these are my brothers" Leo answered her "Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo"

"Hm… interesting names. I like them" she smiled at him and he returned the smile as his face reddened.

"I see our guest is awake" Serena looked to her left and saw Master Splinter approaching "How are you feeling, my child?"

"I'm… fine" she nodded her head as she stared at him with interest "Just a little headache, but I'll live"

Splinter smiled gently at her "My sons had told me what had happened and why they brought you here to our home"

"Yes, they saved me" Serena told him with a smile "And I very much appreciate it"

"Serena" she looked over at Leo when he called her "This is our father and sensei, Master Splinter"

Serena's eyes widened as she looked back over at Splinter "Your name is Splinter? Hamato Splinter?"

"Yes," Splinter answered her "Why do you ask and how do you know me?"

"My Gods!" Serena exclaimed excitedly "My name is Serena Callister, you know my grandfather; Xavier Callister"

Splinter looked in surprise "You are Xavier's granddaughter?" Serena nodded her head in response and Splinter smiled at her "He had told me of his granddaughters, you and your sister Emmaline, but he never said how beautiful you are" Serena blushed at his compliment before looking over at his sons who looked confused.

"You know her, sensei?" Mikey asked Splinter.

"Yes, my son" Splinter looked at his youngest son "Her grandfather and I are good friends. We met at the Battle Nexus years ago and he told me much of him, his family, his people and his world"

"I came here looking for you" Serena said looking back at the wise rat "My grandfather said I would be safe with you"

"Safe?" Donnie asked "Are you in danger?"

"Just who are you anyway?" Raph asked, a harsh tone in his voice.

Serena was about to answer him when Splinter spoke up "My sons, may I introduce you to Princess Serena Callister of the planet Torrestan" Splinter bowed his head to Serena in respect while his sons looked shocked, but they bowed as well.

"You're a princess?" Mikey asked looking back at Serena.

"You're an alien?" Raph asked as well.

"You're from another world?" Donnie asked, amazed.

Serena closed her eyes with a sigh and nodded "Yes…"

"That… is so cool!" Mikey practically screamed as he stood up.

"Yeah… it's wonderful" Serena sighed looking down "Being a princess means people tell you were to go, what to do, how to dress and how to act"

"You don't sound too happy about it," Leo said as he got up and sat next to her on the couch.

"That's because I'm not…" Serena said looking up at him and their eyes locked for a moment. Up close, Leo thought she was even more beautiful and he could see every detail on her. Her emerald green eyes were so intense, but showed a light shining in them that could put the stars to shame. Her raven black hair shined in the light of the lair, giving her a halo look that made her look like an angel and her hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall. It looked so soft and full that if someone were to touch it, it would feel like touching cotton. Her pale skin looked so soft and smooth like velvet, and her lips were full as well with a beautiful shade of red that reminded Leo of a rose. She also had a devine scent to her that Leo could only describe as lavender. He felt his mouth become dry as he swallowed a lump in his throat and his heart began to race as she stared into his eyes.

_'He has beautiful eyes'_ Serena thought to herself as she stared into his dark brown orbs. They were so deep that if you stared into them long enough, you could lose yourself, but still feel safe. Her eyes trailed down his muscular body, he was very fit and had nice looking muscles along his arms and chest. Serena felt her face heat up as she looked back into his eyes and his unique scent entered her nostrils. He smiled like evergreen rosemary and cinnamon. Serena felt her heart beating so fast she thought it was going to burst out of her chest. She's never felt anything like this before as she stared into his beautiful brown eyes that made her feel safe and warm the longer she stared into them. Even though he was a mutant turtle, Serena thought he looked very handsome.

Serena was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard someone clear their throat. She looked over at Master Splinter who was looking at her curiously.

"Please, finish what you were saying, Princess" he told her.

"Yes… of course" Serena cleared her throat as she tore her eyes away from Leo and back at the others who were looking at each other with smirks on their faces.

"As I was saying, I'm not happy being a princess" Serena said looking down, placing her hands on her knees "Many think it's a dream come true and everything they ever wanted, but it's quite the opposite"

"What do you mean?" Mikey asked her "What's wrong with being a princess? You get to live in huge palace, have people wait on you hand and foot, you can do whatever you want and have everything you want"

"Not everything" Serena said in a low tone "There's one thing I want that I don't have"

"What's that?" Donnie asked.

Serena looked at him "Freedom"

The brothers all looked at her in surprise when she said. Freedom? You would think being a princess you could go anywhere and do anything you want, but apparently that's not true in Serena's case.

"I don't have freedom" Serena spoke softly "I don't have the luxury of being myself or doing what I please. I have to follow a set of rules and set an example for my people, which I do care for very much, but… I feel as though sometimes I have to choose between my people and my own happiness. Even though I know my people's safety and happiness comes before anything else, I feel like I have to sacrifice my happiness for my kingdom"

"Dude…" Mikey breathed out "That's a bummer"

"But that's not all" Serena continued looking over at him "My parents are forcing me to get married"

"What?" Leo asked surprised before looking at his brothers and father who were equally surprised "Why?" he looked back over at Serena.

Serena sighed "I'm supposed to be married to a prince by my next birthday if I'm to ascend the throne and the prince my parents want me to marry is a complete and utter selfish pig"

"He's that bad?" Donnie asked her.

"Yes, he's selfish, sexist, a spoiled brat and so full of himself" Serena said her hands clenching her hands into fists "He thinks women are only good for sex, bearing children and should only speak unless they're spoken to and should have no opinions of their own"

"Man, what an ass" Raph growled with his arms crossed.

"That's putting it mildly" Serena muttered "That's why I left home, to get away from my arranged marriage and to be free to be who I am"

"Does your grandfather know about this man your parents wish you to marry?" Splinter asked her.

"Yes, he does" Serena nodded "He dislikes him about as much as I do, but my parents think I should give him a chance and get to know him. But I don't want to know him, I want nothing to do with him and he disgusts me"

"You said you had to marry him by your next birthday, right?" Leo asked and Serena nodded her head in response "When is it?"

"More than five moons from now, but guess on your world it would be almost six months from now" Serena told him, looking up at him.

"Is that how long you plan on staying?" Leo asked, a hint of hope in his voice.

"Yes or at least until my parents cancel the wedding, but even if they do…" Serena trailed off "I don't what to expect when I would go home, would they forgive me and welcome me back home or would they be furious and have me punished? But I'm hoping the first one"

"Well… you're more than welcomed to stay with us for as long as you need to, Princess" Leo told her with a smile that caused Serena to blush.

"That's right" Donnie said getting up from his spot and walking over to her "We'd be happy to have you stay here"

"Your grandfather has trusted me with your safety and I will honor his wish, my child" Splinter bowed his head in respect to her.

Serena looked at all of them with a huge smile on her face before she realized something "Wait… Hisan… where's Hisan? Is he ok?" she asked worriedly.

"You mean yer horse?" Raph asked her and she nodded "He's fine, he's over there helping himself to Mikey's chips"

They all turned and saw Hisan was indeed eating a bag of chips Mikey left on the small table with his muzzle inside the bag where you could hear the crunching of the chips.

"Hey! Those were mine!" Mikey yelled as he leapt over the couch and ran over there while the others laughed in amusement.

Serena sighed in relief knowing that Hisan was safe as she looked back at the others "Thank you all so much, I am very grateful"

"It's our pleasure, Princess," Leo said with a warm smile as he placed a hand on top of hers with a gentle squeeze. Serena smiled brightly at him as Leo felt his face heat up again.

Splinter then cleared his throat, "Perhaps we shall help our guest get settled in for the night"

"Right" Leo nodded "You can stay in my room, Serena"

"Oh, thank you, but I'm sure I'll be fine here on the couch" Serena told him with a shake of her head.

"I insist, besides you'd be a lot more comfortable sleeping in a bed than a couch" Leo told her.

"Are you sure, Leonardo?" Serena asked "I don't want to force you from your room"

"I'm sure" he told her "Besides, tomorrow we're gonna clean out one of the spare rooms and you'll have your own room then"

"Very well" Serena sighed "Thank you"

"No problem" Leo smiled at her "Come on, I'll give you a little tour of our home"

"I would love that" Serena smiled back at him as he stood up and held his hand out to her. She took it gratefully as she stood up and he let her towards the stairs while showing her the kitchen that wasn't far from them. He then led her Serena upstairs and began showing her their rooms. Mikey's room was first, it looked like an average teenager boy's room; his bed clearly not made, piles of comic books stacked up in various places, a drum set underneath his bed, some posters of Tony Hawk and a rack of skateboards on the wall. Next was Donnie's room, his was almost similar to Mikey's room except there was a desk with computers on it, several different types of books were also stacked up and there was a poster of Albert Einstein on one of the walls. Raph's room was next with his hammock a mess, weights strewn about on the floor, a shelf full of trophies above the hammock and a rack that held several different weights. Last, but not least was Leo's room. His was most neat and tidy of the four, his bed was neatly made with blue coverings, he had a bookcase that held different types of poetry books and history books, he had a few posters written in Japanese, a string of lit lanterns above his bed, a rack of a variety of swords and in the corner was a keyboard.

"You play the piano?" Serena asked as she followed Leo into his room.

Leo looked almost sheepish as he looked at her while rubbing the back of his head "Yeah, it's a hobby of mine that my brothers don't really know about"

"Well, why is that?" Serena asked, curiously.

"I don't know… I guess, I'm just embarrassed because they probably don't expect it from me" Leo answered her.

"Well, I actually do enjoy playing the piano and I would love to hear you play sometime" Serena smiled at him.

"Really?" Leo asked, surprised.

"Really" Serena answered with a slight giggle.

Leo gratefully returned the smile as the two of them just stared at each other for several seconds before Leo cleared his throat.

"Well, this is it" he blushed as he took a step back "If you need any extra blankets, they're in the closet right there"

"Thank you, Leonardo" Serena bowed gratefully to him "I really do appreciate everything you and your family are doing for me"

"The pleasure is ours, Princess" Leo returned the bow.

"Please call me Serena" she told him gently "I'd rather not be called that while I'm here"

"Of course, as long as you call me Leo" he told her with a smile that made her heart jump.

"Very well… Leo" she smiled at him "Thank you"

Leo smiled back before leaving the room and closing the door behind him as Serena sat on the bed.

"I think I'm really going to like it here" Serena said smiling to herself.

**Let me hear your thoughts :)**


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